Automatic gate



Jan. 19, 1943. E, A. BRUCE m. 2,3

' AUTOMATIC GATE.

Filed Sept. 23, 1941 4 Shee ts-Sheet 1 Inventor Elmer fir ace w/Zzmes 11.3 0271 A Home Jan. 19, 1943.

E. A. BRUCE ET AL AUTOMATIC GATE Filed Sept; 23, '1941 4 SheetsQ-Sheet' 2 Inventor .3 0 on e 'fberA, ,Bruce v1.1 R N Jan. 19. 1943. v .E. A. BRQQE m. 2,308,642

AUTOMATIC GATE Filed Sept. 25, 1941 Sheets-Sheet s Elmer A arem; JaZme-sfl. 300, e,

Attorney Jan. 19, 1943. E. A. BRUCE ETAL 2,303,642 I AUTOMATIC GATE Filed Sept. 23, 1941 4 Sheets-Shej: 4

v I Inventor Elmer, 4 ,Brace Bid mes A fiaane Attorney Patented Jan. 19, 1943 UNITED srar srersnr orFicE AUTOMATIC GATE Elmer A. Bruce, Silver City, and James A. Boone, Bayard, N. Mex.

Application September 23, 1941, Serial No. 412,024

will be seen that the embodiment of the inven- 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in gates and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a device of this character which is adapted to be opened by a vehicle approaching from either direction and which, further, will be automatically closed by said vehicle after it has passed through the gate.

Another very important object of the invention is to provide, in an automatic vehicle-actuated gate of the aforementioned character of the type comprising a pair of wheel-actuated throw cranks, novel means for operatively connecting the gate to said throw cranks for actuation thereby.

Still another veryimportant object of the invention is to provide an automatic vehicle actuated gate of the character described comprising unique means for cushioning and arresting the gate when it is opened or closed and for assisting in starting said gate toward either of these positions.

Other objects of the advantages are to provide an automatic gate of the character set forth which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, highly eflicient and reliable in use, compact and which may be manufactured and installed at low cost.

All of the foregoing'and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevational view, showin a gate in accordance with the present invention in closed position, a portion of the foundation structure being broken away in section.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the device.

Figure 3 is a view in vertical longitudinal section, taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a View in end elevation, showing the guides and a portion of the base in vertical section.

Figure 5 is a detail View in cross-section taken substantially on the line 55 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a detail view in perspective of the rock shaft Which closes the gate.

Figure 7 is a detail view in perspective of one of the throw cranks.

Figure 8 is a detail view in perspective of the rock shaft which opens the gate.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it

tion which has been illustrated comprises a concrete foundation structure I which is embedded in the ground flush with the surface thereof.

. The foundation structure I has formed therein a chamber 2. Embedded in the foundation structure I and flush with the top thereof is a base 3 of suitable material. Rising from the base 3 is a pair of spaced, opposed, uprights Between the uprights i, the base 3 has formed therein an opening '5 which communicates with the chamber 2.

Adjustably mounted on the uprights 4 is a pair of brackets 5. The brackets 6 are secured to the uprights 4 by bolts 1. Vertical slots 8 in the uprights l accommodate the bolts 7, thus permitting adjustment of the brackets 6. Pivotally mounted for swinging movement in a vertical plane on the brackets 6 is a pair of toggle links 9. Pivotally suspended from the free upper end portions of the toggles 9 and operable between said toggles is a pair of hangers H]. A gate ll is pivotally secured at an intermediate point, as at [2, between the lowerportions of the hangers It), said gate being operable between said hangers and the toggles 9.

Extending between thelower portions of the uprights 4 is a shaft l3. Journaled at an intermediate point on the shaft is is a pair of levers It. The gate H is operable between the levers i l. The upper end portions of the levers H; are pivotally secured, as at iii, to the hangers H) at intermediate points. The other end portions of the levers l4 extend downwardly through the openingb into the chamber 2 and have journaled therebetween a roller I6. Springs I! in the chamber 2 are engageable by the rollers i5.

Journaled in suitable bearings :8 which are provided therefor on the foundation structure I is an opening rock shaft l9. At its ends, the shaft l9 terminates in crank arms 20. At an intermediate point, the shaft I9 includes a crank 2| which is engageable with the levers M for actuating the gate I I to open position.

Also Journaled in suitable bearings on the foundation structure I is a gate-closing rock shaft 22. The shaft 22 terminates, at its ends, in crank arms 23. At an intermediate point, the shaft 22 includes a crank 24 which is adapted to engage and swing the levers M in a direction to close the gate II.

It will be observed that the rock shafts l9 and 22 parallel the driveway and that the uprights 4 are located therebetween. It will also be observed that, when the crank arms 20 and 23 are in raised position, said crank arms are oppositely inclined. It will still further be noted that the shaft I9 is shorter than the shaft 22 and that the arms 20 are located inwardly of the arms 23. This is shown to advantage in Figure 2 of the drawings.

Journaled in bearings which are provided therefor on the foundation structure I and extending at right angles to the shafts l9 and 22 are throw cranks 25. At one end, the throw cranks 25 terminate in crank arms 26. Coil springs 21 are connected to the crank arms 26 for yieldingly maintaining the throw cranks 25 in a vertical position. The construction and arrangement is such that when the throw cranks 25 are swung downwardly in one direction the crank arms 25 thereon engage the crank arms 20 and when said throw cranks are swung downwardly in the opposite direction, said crank arms 26 engage and actuate the crank arms 23.

Posts 28 and 29 are provided on opposite sides of the uprights 4 and in longitudinal alignment with the gate H. Extending inwardly from the posts 28 and 29 toward the opening are beds 30 on which the gate ll comes to rest when in either open or closed position. Inclined guides and braces 3|, which receive the gate ll therebetween when said gate is in open position, extend from the post 29 to the base 3 on the remote side of the opening 5. If desired, fence wire may be stretched between the post 29 and the uprights 4.

Itis thought that the operation of the gate will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. Briefly, one of the front wheels of an automobile or other vehicle approaching from either direction engages one of the throw cranks 25 and swings it downwardly toward the gate. Thus the crank arm 26 on this throw crank 25 ngages the adjacent crank arm 20 on the shaft 19 and rocks said shaft in a direction to cause the crank 2| thereon to engage the levers l4 and shift the gate Ii to open position against the post 29 and between the guides 3|. The vehicle passes through the open gate and engages and swings the other throw crank 25 downwardly away from said gate. Thus, the arm 25 on this throw crank 25 is engaged with the adjacent crank arm 23 on the shaft 22 for rocking said shaft in a direction to cause the crank 24 to engage and swing the levers M for returning the gate II to closed position against the post 28. After the vehicle passes over the throw cranks 25 the coil springs 21 return said throw cranks to their vertical position. Of course, when the vehicle is moving in the opposite direction the above described operation is reversed.

When the gate II is in either position one of the springs I1 is under tension against the roller l6. Thus, the springs i1 constitute means for assisting in starting the gate in either direction. Further, when the gate approaches either fully opened or closed position, said gate is arrested and cushioned by the engagement of the roller I6 with one of the springs 11. Any suitable means may, if desired, be provided for regulating the tension of the springs [1.

It is believed that the many advantages of an automatic gate constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood and although a preferred embodiment of the apparatus is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A gate of the character described comprising a supporting structure, a gate shiftable in opposite directions on said supporting structure, means for shifting the gate in either direction to open or closed position, said means including relatively long and short, parallel rock shafts on the supporting structure operatively connected to the gate, crank arms on the ends of said rock shafts, vehicle actuated throw cranks on the supporting structure, and crank arms on said throw cranks pivotally mounted engageable when swun in opposite directions with the first-named crank arms for opening or closing the gate.

2. An automatic gate of the character described comprising a supporting structure, a pair of uprights on said supporting structure, a gate shiftable in opposite directions on the uprights and. movable therebetween, a pair of levers pivotally mounted between the uprights and operatively connected to the gate for shifting said gate to open or closed position, a pair of relatively long and short, parallel rock shafts journaled on the supporting structure and including cranks engageable with opposite sides of the levers for actuating said levers in opposite directions, crank arms on the ends of said rock shafts, vehicleactuated throw cranks pivotally mounted on the supporting structure, and. crank arms on said throw cranks engageable swung in opposite directions with the first-named crank arms for rocking either of the shafts for opening or closing the gate.

3. An automatic gate of the character described comprising a supporting structure including a foundation having a chamber therein, a pair of spaced uprights on the supporting structure, a. pair of toggles mounted for swinging movement in a vertical plane on said uprights, hangers suspended from the toggles, a gate pivotally mounted between the hangers and operable between the toggles and the uprights, a pair of levers pivotally mounted between the uprights and having one end pivotally connected to the hangers, the other end portions of said levers being operable in the chamber, a roller journaled between said other end portions of said levers, vehicle-actuated means on the supporting structure engageable with the levers for shifting the gate to open or closed position, and leaf springs in the chamber having free end portions engageable with the roller for assisting in starting the gate toward either open or closed position.

ELMER A. BRUCE. JAMES A. BOONE. 

